Ball retarder



Feb. 3, 1953 L. s. BREEN 2,627,409

BALL RETARDER Filed Dec. 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 3, 1953 s, BREEN 2,627,409

BALL RETARDER Filed Dec. 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .7 if i .j J Z Z3 L. S. BREEN BALL RETARDER Feb. 3, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 10, 1949 L. S. BREEN 7 BALL RETARDER Feb. 3, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 10, 1949 Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES? WENT OFFIGE' 14 Claims.

This invention relates to a ball retarder for bowling alleys.

Ball retarders are employed in conjunction with a ball return track of a bowling alley to retard the velocity of a ball and eject is slowly into a storage rack.- These retarders are used to prevent injury to bowlerswhen a ball enters a storage rack too rapidly and strikes a ball therein causing it to be propelled forwardly and. sometimes bump against the hand of a bowler selectinga ball from the rack. The ordinary ball retarders are usable only with a ball of a certain size. The presentinvention is concerned with a ball retarder that will retard individual balls of different sizes, such as duck pin balls five pin balls and ten pin balls and any combination of such balls rolling along the track in proximity.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved ball retarder for retarding balls of different sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ball retarder for retarding a ball of one size whileblocking a following ball of another size.

More specifically the invention involves the provision of a rotatable device having a plurality of ball engaging members spaced different distances from a ball return tracktand wherein a first set of said members are normally in a posi tion to engage'relativelysmaller balls and a second set of said members are normally in a position to allow a smaller ball to pass thereunder or to engage a relatively larger ball but movable to a position to engage a smaller ball and a third set of engaging members normally in a position not to engage either relative size of ball but movable to a position to engage a relatively large ball.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken sub: stantially through the center of the ball retarder of Figs. 2 and 3. V I 1 5 is a e a vr sn qt v v ewthqwr ing the ball retarder in; conjunction with a pair of differently size d b alls. I A A 6 is a r ente r lerat a View of a second embodiment of the inventionshow ing in solid lines the ret'arder in; ball relea'sing position, and in dotted lines the retarder in normal ball obstructing position;

Fig. 7 is a vertical secticnal vie w taken substantially along line 'Il of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective View show ing the ball retarder of 6 and Tin conjunction with a pair of diiferentl'y sized balls.

While the invention has been illustratedir' the accompanying drawings as applied to two differ ent embodiments, it'should' be understoodthat] the invention is susceptible of modificationsand changes without departing from the'spirit and scope of the invention as set out ir'i'tfie appended claims.

In Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, th're is illustrated" one embodiment of the new ball retard er l0."

In Fig. 1 this ball retarder is shown applied-to a usual ballreturn track I] thatis provided with theordinary downwardly inclined main track portion'llcea portion ll b inclined sharplyup wardl'y to lessenthe momntum of the hall, and

upper andlower storage racks i2 and f3 on' which all may be PQ W l l i .11% a .i upper storage rack I2 is con'nectedto the' top of h upw r n in d b r iq b y en 'l'i" downwardly inclined portion ilc toin sure the balls rolling ontothe upper storage rack i2.

In order to retard the movement of the balls and eject them slowly on to the storage rack l2,"

the ball retarder I0 is preferably positioned ad jacent the downwardly inclined portion llc of-the ballreturn track; as shown in Figw' 1-.

The ballretarder comprises a'cradle' l l mount ed-for rotation about an axis. drawings, the cradle'is rotated on 'an axle l5"extending through theportion I roof the 'ba'll re turn track. As is shown in Fig; 2", the axle""l'5 is As shown in the" 3 located nearer the front of the cradle than the rear so that the center of gravity of the cradle is to the rear of the axis of rotation.

The cradle l4 includes a pair of side members l6 located on opposite sides of the ball return track He and connected together by means of the axle l5, rod I! and rod 18 to form the cradle. The rod I! also acts as a positioning member in a manner more fully set forth hereinafter. As can be seen in Fig. 4, the axle l extends through an annular bearing collar [9.

The cradle M has a rear portion Ma extending above the track and a front portion [4b extending substantially beneath the track when the cradle is in normal ball obstructing position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rear portion Ida of the cradle is provided with a pair of first rollers 20 normally located a short distance above the track and a pair of second rollers 2! located normally a greater distance above the track and between the first rollers 20 and axle IS. The front portion Mb of the cradle is provided with a pair of third rollers 22 normally located out of ball engaging position and also spaced on opposite sides of the track. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the rollers 20, 2| and 22 is mounted on a side member 15. These rollers are preferably of a resilient material, such as rubber, and each roller is mounted for rotation on a short pin 23 extending from a side member IS. The bottom of the front portion Mb of the cradle is provided with a resilient bumper 24. This resilient bumper cooperates with the stop abutment Hg on the track to limit clockwise rotation of the cradle.

The first rollers 20 are normally spaced above the ball return track I l a distance such that they will be contacted by a small ball, such as a duck pin ball 25 (Figs. 5 and 8) or a five pin ball 26 (Fig. 5). The second rollers 2! are normally spaced above the ball return track a distance such that the small balls will normally pass thereunder. However, when the cradle has been rotated to ball releasing position by contact of the small ball with the first rollers 20, the second rollers 2| will be lowered a distance sufi'icient to intercept a following small ball. The second rollers 2| are so located that they are always in position to intercept a largest ball, such as a ten pin ball 21 (Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8).

The third rollers 22 are normally partially beneath the ball return track H, as shown in Fig. 2. These rollers 22 are spaced apart a distance such that the small balls, such as the duck pin or five pin balls, will pass therethrough irrespective of the position of these rollers above the track. However, these third rollers are so spaced that they will intercept a following largest ball, such as a ten pin ball, when a first largest ball is in the retarder and rotating the cradle to ball releasing position by contact of this largest ball with the second rollers 2 I. As is shown in Fig. 3, each pair of rollers 20 and 2| are closer together than are the third rollers 22.

When the cradle is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, the third rollers 22 are located in side cavities lid in the ball return track ll. Immediately beneath the first rollers 20 are provided openings He in the ball return track through which the rollers 20 pass when the cradle is rotated to ball releasing position by means of the contact of a largest ball with the second rollers 2|. When in this position, the

second rollers will be moved to a point adjacent side plates 28 on the bottom of the track I I0 and into cut out portions Hi.

In order to hold the cradle in its normal ball obstructing position and to release a ball gently from the cradle, there is provided a yieldable means urging the cradle into this normal position. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, this yieldable means comprises a hollow cylinder 29 having its bottom end rotatably mounted on a rod 33 extending between the sides of a hollow downwardly projecting member 31. Located within the hollow cylinder 29 is a piston 32 attached to a hollow tube 33 extending through the top of the cylinder. This piston extends through an opening 29a in a cap 34 which serves as a closure for the upper end of the cylinder.

The top of the hollow tube 33 is rotatably attached by means of a collar 35 and a rod member 36 to the side members It of the cradle M. This arrangement is shown in section in Fig. 4 and in side elevation in Fig. 7

The bottom of the piston 32 is provided with a relatively large opening 32a narrowing at the top in the shape of a frustum of a cone and communicating with the interior of the hollow tube 33. The lower end of this tube is supported in a boss 322) on the upper surface of the piston 32. This boss and the adjacent section of the hollow tube 33 are provided with small openings 320 communicating with the interior of the hollow tube 33. The interior of the piston 23 is filled to a level above the highest level of the piston 32 with an oil. When the piston is moved downwardly by rotation of the cradle 14 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, oil flows from beneath the piston through the bottom opening 320. into the interior of the bottom end of the tube 33 and out the small openings 320. When the piston is moved upwardly, the oil fiows in a reverse direction through these openings in the bottom of the tube.

In order to yieldingly restrain rotation of the cradle in the above clockwise direction, the chamber formed by the openings 32a is provided with a ball 37 having a diameter greater than the smallest diameter of the opening 32a, but less than the largest diameter thereof. This ball is held within the opening 32a by means of a spider 38. If the ball 3'! were free to move upwardly in the opening 320., it would completely close this opening and prevent oil flowing through the opening 32a and connected passageway when the piston 32 moved downwardly. However, the ball is normally held a short distance away from the top of the opening 32a so as to permit restricted flow of oil around the ball into the bottom of the tube 33 and out the opening 320. The means for so holding the ball consists of a rod 39 extending down in the interior of the tube 33 and having a reduced end 39a bearing against the ball. This rod has a threaded upper end 3% engaging similar threads on the interior of the tube 33 at the top thereof. With this arrangement, the position of the ball 3? may be adjusted as desired to permit the required fiow of oil upwardly through the passageway 32a around the reduced end 39a on the rodand out the openings 320. When the piston is moved upwardly, the fiow of oil will force the ball 37 down against the spider 38 so that the fiow will be more rapid.

Located within the cylinder 29 is a helical spring it extending between the bottom of the cylinder and the bottom of the piston 32. This spring provides additional resistance to the movement of the piston in a downward direction.

With the cylinder, piston and spring arrangement discussed above, the cradle of the ball retarder will bero'tated slowly -to ball releasing position because of theresistance of the'spring 46 and the restricted-flow "of the oil. However, after a ball has passedthrough the retarcler, the cradle will be returned more rapidly to its normal ball obstructing'positionby the actionof the-spring 40- and the relatively free flow of oil do'wnwardlythrough the piston 32. The return movement of the cradle under the influenceof the spring at is limited by-the positioning-rod lT-which engages the side plates 28 onthe'b'ottom of the track He.

The operation of the retarder on largest ten pin balls isillustrated iri Fig. 1. When the ball rolls downthe ball'return track Ha irom the pin end of the-alley, it isrollingalt a fairly rap-id speedyand has considerable momentum. When the ball rolls up the steeply inclined portion H b of the tr-a-ck, however, it loses'a major portion of this speed andmomentum, and rolls into the retarder along theinclinedpart of the track portion tic at-aconsiderably reduced speed. When the-largest ball rolls into the 'retarder, it strikes the upwardly extending second rollers -2 I. Themomentum of the ball causes the retarder to rotate around its axle in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1. Due to the construction of the piston 32- 111 thecylinder '29 and the force of the spring as, this clockwise rotation is relatively slow-so that the bal1= islejected on to-the storage rack ii at a slow speed. *When the retarder is thuslyrotated bya ball therein, the-front portion t lt-of the retarder is raisedabove the return track-to intercept a largest ball that is following too closely behind -the first ball. After the first ballhasbeen ejected from the retarder, thespring -sdcauses. the retarderto be rotated in acounterclockwise direction until itreaches its normal ball obstructing position, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and i.

The operation of-the retarder on balls ofdiffer entlsizes is illustrated in Fig. 5. in this figure the first ball is a duck pinball 2 5 and the second ball is a'five pin l b-all it. :The small duck pin ballli'it' is interceptedby the first rollers .213 as the second rollersZl are spaceda sufficientdistance apartand above the-return track to permit either a duck pin ball or .a five pin ball 26 to pass thereunder. However, when the small ball 25 contacts the vfirs'trollers tt to rotate theretarder, the second rollers?! are lowered a distance such that-theywill intercept aufollowing small ball whether it is a duct; pin ora five pin ball. In Fig 5,-the first ball 25 has rotated the retarder to ball releasing position and the immediately following hall 25 has'been intercepted by the second rollers 2i. As soon asrthe firstball-ZE is ejected from i the retarder, the spring 49 returns the retarder to its normal position and the second ball then passes under and between the second rollers disc that it in turn contacts the first rollers Qilto rotate the retarder and also release the second ball gently into the storage rack. When a following ball is a largest ball, such as a ten pin hall, it'will be intercepted by the second rollers 25 irrespective of whether the retarder is in its normal ball obstructing position or has been partially rotated bycontact of a small ball with the rollers 28.

From the above description of the operation of the retarder, it is evident that the retarder can be used for retarding individual balls of difierent sizes or any combination of these balls rolling alongth-e ball return track in proximity.

In"Figs. 6, 7 and 8 there is illustrated 'a second dle I'M is ishownzinpsolidllinesriri :full ballreleasing positionv and in dotted lines in its normalzball obstructing position. .The'rollers 20, 2| *and222 are the same as'the: rollers shown in the first embodimentand-occupy the same relative positions with respect toceach-otherand to theiball return track1portion tic. Howevergin-this embodiment; a relativelyslight weightcradle: H4 is employed having' sider armsd lt instead of the pl'a'te-like side imernbers thin the firstwembodiment. Thefirst r'o1lers2t are mountedonrelatively'rshort'upwardly extending arms 1 16a at the rearmo'stend of the cradle, while theiseconcl rollers: it are mounted onlonger upwardly extending arms 'H to :spaced upwardly of the arms Nita. T'Iheihirdrollersfi are mounted-on 11pwardlyextending: arms llfic located at the "front of the cradle. F'Iheoperation 'of this second embodiment of "the invention'in retarding balls of the same or difierent sizes or combinations of such ballsis the same as thatpreviously described for the first embodiment of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or, privilege is claimed'are defined as follows.

I claim:

' 1. In a bowling alley structure including a ball re turn track, a bowling ball retarder-for'individual balls of different sizes 'and any combination of such ballsrolling along'the track in proximity, said retarder comprising a cradle mounted for rotation about an axis adjacent to said track and having a rear portion and a'front portion on opposite sides of said axis, said rearportionextending above track and said front portion extending substantially beneath said track when the cradle'isin normal ball obstructingposition, first means onsaidrear portion for intercepting a small ball rolling along said track the momentum of said small ball causing said cradle to rotate to ball releasing position, second means on said rear portion normally out ofposition to intercepts, small ball but movable into small'ball intercepting position when a first small ball contacts said first means and causes said cradle to rotate to ball releasing position; said second means being normally in position to intercep-ta larger bal1 rolling along said "track with the momentum of said'larger ball causing said-cradle to rotate to ball releasing positionythirdmeans on said front portion normallyout of -ball interoepting position but movableto 'interceptuonlyl a larger ball on rotation of said cradle by contact of a ball withione of said first;andsecond ,rne'ans, and yieldabie meansurging said cradle to said normal position.

2. The ball retarder of claim 1 'wherein veach of said first, second and third means comprises a pair of rollers each located onopposite sides of said track.

3. The ball retarder of claim 1 wherein said first means is normally located a short distance above said track, said second means-is located a greater distanceabove said'track, and said thirdlmeans is located atleast partially beneath said track.

4. In a bowling alley structure including l a ball return track, a, bowling ball retarder for individual balls of different sizes and any combination of such balls rolling along the track in proximity, said retarder comprising a cradle mounted for rotation about an axis adjacent to said track and having a rear portion and a front portion on opposite sides of said axis,

embodimento'f'theinvention. IrrFig. 6 thecra said rear-'portion'extending above said trac and said front portion extending substantially beneath said track when the cradle is in normal ball obstructing position, a pair of first rollers on said rear portion normally located a short distance above said track and spaced on opposite sides thereof a distance such that they will be contacted by a small ball rolling along the track into said retarder, a pair of second rollers on said rear portion normally located a greater distance above said track and spaced on opposite sides thereof a distance such that all balls except the largest will pass thereunder, said second rollers being contacted by a small ball only when said first rollers are contacted by a first small ball to rotate said cradle and move the first rollers downwardly to ball releasing position, a pair of third rollers on said front portion normally located out of ball engaging position and spaced at opposite sides of said track a distance greater than the diameter of all but the largest balls, said third rollers being contacted only by a larger ball when said cradle is rotated to ball releasing position by contact of a ball with one of said first and second rollers, the contact of a small ball with said first rollers and a larger ball with said second rollers serving to rotate said cradle to ball releasing position, and yieldable means urging said cradle to said normal position.

5. The bowling ball retarder of claim 4 wherein said second rollers are located nearer said axis than said first rollers.

6. lhe bowling ball retarder of claim 4 wherein said cradle includes a pair of side members located on opposite sides of said track.

7. The bowling ball retarder of claim 4 wherein said cradle includes a pair of side members located on opposite sides of said track with one of each of said first, second and third rollers being mounted on a side member.

8. The bowling ball retarder of claim 4 wherein said track is provided with openings through which said first rollers pass when said cradle is rotated to ball releasing position by contact of a larger ball with said second rollers.

9. The bowling ball retarder of claim 4 wherein said front portion is provided with a bumper member normally located beneath said track, and said track is provided with a stop member against which said bumper member bears when said cradle has been rotated to ball releasing position by contact of a largest ball with said second rollers.

10. The bowling ball retarder of claim 4 wherein said cradle is provided with a positioning member normally bearing against a portion of the track when said cradle is in ball receiving position.

11. In a bowling alley structure including a ball return track, a bowling ball retarder for individual balls of different sizes and any combination of such balls rolling along the track in proximity, said retarder comprising a cradle mounted for rotation about an axis adjacent to said track and including a pair of side members on opposite sides of said track, said cradle having'a rear portion and a front portion on opposite sides of said'axis with the rear portion normally extending above said track and the front portion normally extending substantially beneath said track when the cradle is in normal ball obstructing position, a pair of first rollers on said rear portion normally located a short distance above said track and spaced on opposite sides thereof a distance such that they will be contacted by a small ball rollling along the track into said retarder, a pair of second rollers on said rear portion normally located a greater distance above said track and closer to said axis than said first rollers and spaced on opposite sides of the track a distance such that all balls except the largest will pass thereunder, said second rollers being contacted by a small ball only when said first rollers are contacted by a first small ball to rotate said cradle and move the first rollers downwardly to ball releasing position, a pair of third rollers on said front portion normally located out of ball engaging position and spaced on opposite sides of said track a distance greater than the diameter of all but the largest balls, said third rollers being contacted only by a largest ball when said cradle is rotated to ball releasing position by contact of a ball with one of said first and second rollers, the contact of a small ball with said first rollers and a largest ball with said second rollers serving to rotate said cradle to ball releasing position, one of each of said first, second and third rollers being attached to a side member, and yieldable means urging said cradle to said normal position, said track being provided with openings through which said first rollers pass when'said cradle is rotated to ball releasing position by contact of a largest ball with said second rollers.

12. The bowling ball retarder of claim 11 wherein said cradle is provided with a positioning member normally bearing against a portion of the track when said retarder is in ball receiving position, said front portion being provided with a bumper member normally located beneath the track and said track being provided with a stop member against whichsaid bumper member bears when said cradle has been rotated to ball releasing position by contact of a largest ball with said second rollers.

13. In a bowling alley structure including a ball return track, a bowling ball retarder comprising a cradle mounted for rotation about an axis adjacent to the said track and having a portion to one side of said axis normally extending above said track, a first means on said portion for intercepting a ball rolling along said track, the momentum of said ball causing the cradle to rotate to ball releasing position, and a second means on said portion normally located a distance above said track sufiicient to allow a relatively small ball to pass therebeneath but to block a relatively large ball and movable downwardly into small ball intercepting position when a first ball contacts said first means and causes said cradle to rotate to ball releasing position, and yieldable means urging said cradle to its normal position.

14. In a bowling alley structure including a ball return track, a bowling ball retarder for, individual balls of different sizes and any combination of such balls rolling along the track in proximity, said retarder comprising a cradle mounted for rotation about an axis adjacent to said track and including a pair of side members on opposite sides of said track, said'cradle having a rear portion normally extending above said track, a pair of first rollers on said rear portion normally located a short distance above said track and spaced on opposite sides thereof a distance such that they will be contacted by a small ball rolling along the track into said retarder, a pair of second rollers on said rear portion normally located a greater distance above said track and spaced on opposite sides of the track a distance such that all balls except the largest will pass thereunder, said second rollers being contacted by a small ball only when said first rollers are contacted by a first small ball to rotate said cradle and move the first rollers downwardly to ball releasing position, the contact of a small ball with said first rollers and a largest ball with said second rollers serving to rotate said cradle to ball releasing position, and yieldable means urging said cradle to said normal position.

LLOYD STANLEY BREEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

